Casinos, also referred to as gambling houses or establishments, are buildings or rooms where people can gamble. Most casinos provide various gambling activities ranging from slot machines and table games such as blackjack and roulette to live entertainment such as stand-up comedy or concerts; additionally they typically provide food and beverages.
Casino may have originated as an Italian term meaning little farm or cottage, casa. Early casinos were small country clubs or private rooms where Italian immigrants met for socializing and recreational gaming. The first modern casino hotel opened its doors in Monte Carlo Monaco in 1863; over time casino availability expanded due to changes in state laws as more Americans traveled overseas and as American Indian reservations allowed gambling activities. In the 1980s casinos also started popping up on American Indian reservations as well.
Modern casinos are elaborate facilities featuring various forms of gambling games. Their facilities feature advanced security systems that can detect and prevent any cheating or irregularities. A special camera equipped with an “eye-in-the-sky” feature can cover an entire casino floor at once while monitoring suspicious patrons; such cameras can then be monitored by security workers in a separate room equipped with banks of monitors.
Some casinos are more luxurious than others, featuring luxurious accommodations, gourmet restaurants and breathtaking scenery. For example, The Bellagio in Las Vegas is known for its legendary dancing fountains that provide plenty of gambling options, while Casino at Venetian boasts stunning skylines and top-of-the-line entertainment.
Casinos are big business, generating enormous profits from millions of bets placed by casino patrons and their massive bets placed. This money doesn’t go back into players’ wallets but instead pays for things such as extravagant architecture, extravagant shows, luxurious hotels and grand resorts – in some cases casinos also operate nearby retail shopping areas or resorts to generate even greater revenues.
Though gambling is a widely enjoyed pastime, it does present certain dangers. People with an addiction can quickly become compulsive gamblers leading to serious financial and personal complications; therefore casinos must spend a great deal on security to combat such risks.
As casino gambling spread throughout Nevada during the 1950s, organized crime figures made substantial donations of money to help finance it. Mobster money helped create a glamorous image and gave casinos legitimacy while at the same time creating direct involvement by some mobsters with certain operations, taking sole or partial ownership in some casino operations, even trying to influence some game outcomes. Legal businessmen eventually avoided investing in casinos due to their disreputable image; yet their glamour remained attractive enough that most mobsters eventually lost control over most of their casinos to legitimate investors.